


The Aquarium

by watermelonriddles



Series: It's A Date [1]
Category: Good Girls (TV)
Genre: F/M, Soft Rio (Good Girls)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-15
Updated: 2019-06-15
Packaged: 2020-05-12 13:02:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19229656
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/watermelonriddles/pseuds/watermelonriddles
Summary: Beth and Rio end up going on a date to the aquarium.





	The Aquarium

**Author's Note:**

> So I'm on holiday and I went to the aquarium and it reminded me that Rio had a turtle keychain and in 2x05 you can see a dolphin soft toy on Beth's nightstand.
> 
> Is this story too soft? Maybe. Is Rio too soft? Perhaps. Do I care? Not at all. Enjoy!

Beth was pretty sure the universe was against her. She had actually been pretty optimisitic about being out all day with four kids in tow. They were all equally excited about visiting the aquarium and were surprisingly on their best behaviour on the lead up but of course, it wasn't that easy because all four of them managed to come down with something and the day before their outing she had finally stopped being elbow deep (quite literally) in sick and God only knows what else.  


Really the only saving grace - if you could even call it that - was that Dean was so desperate to remain on Beth's good side that he offered to take the kids to his house to give Beth a break from it all. Normally she wouldn't mind the agony that came with looking after four sick kids but she was exhausted and although she couldn't trust Dean with very much, she could trust him with their kids, especially when his mother only lived 5 minutes away from him if he needed any kind of help.

Beth is just about to collapse onto the couch in the living room when her phone begins to ring. For a split second she just stares at it as Rio's name flashes on the screen. In one fell swoop it simultaneously hits her that she should have called him much earlier and that the two of them were really going to drag their kids around an aquarium the next day. She sits there for so long that she almost misses his call entirely, only just picking it up in time.

"So, we got a problem."

Beth sits down on the couch. "Oh?"

"Yeah, Marcus is gonna be with his grandparents tomorrow. I would normally say no with it being my weekend and all but he didn't see them the last two times either and his mom was begging."

"Oh, thank goodness," Beth mumbles as she falls back onto the couch and throws an arm over her face. The silence on the other end stretches out and it takes her a moment before she realises exactly what she said. "I- I didn't mean good! I'm sorry he can't go but neither can mine, all four are sick."

After a second he laughs. "I was gonna suggest that you go anyway, maybe offer to tag along to help you out."

"Actually, they were on their best behaviour," Beth admits. "I think they were pretty heartbroken at not being allowed to go."

"They there now?" Rio asks.

"No, Dean came and got them." She puts her head back and closes her eyes. "I was exhausted and when he offered to bring them their favourite food in the hopes of getting them to eat I just kind of suggested he pick them up."

That really does make him laugh. Louder and deeper than before. "How they doing?"  
"To be honest, I think they're over the worst of it." She sighs. "I just didn't want to risk it tomorrow." There's a long pause. "Rio?"

"Just thinking."

"About?"

"Would we be the worst parents in the world if we went to the aquarium anyway?"

It's Beth's turn to pause. "Possibly."

"We've never really been on a proper date."

"That's a point," Beth muses and she's sure he's smiling on the other end of the line just like she is.

"So, same plan as before?"

"As long as my kids are alright when I call them in the morning. "

"They'll be fine. "

She's not sure if he says it to be reassuring or to be optimistic but she finds that both are fine by her.

* * *

So, it started like this... Business meetings in the park led to Beth and Rio's kids interacting and becoming fast friends. Jane, Emma, and Marcus quickly became an inseparable trio and eventually Danny and even Kenny got involved. Eventually Rio suggested that they go to the park just to go to the park. That turned into grabbing food afterwards and cinema trips and even a day at the pool. Their personal lives became more and more intertwined but sitting in the front passenger seat of Rio's car on the way to the aquarium is still the kind of thing that baffles Beth even after all these months.

Naturally Rio had been right. When Beth had called the kids they were all doing much better and she knew that by the time she called them that evening they would be back to their old selves again. He didn't say anything about being right when she text him to confirm their day was still a go but she could just sense that usual smirk of his.

When they get to the aquarium he pays for their tickets before she can even open up her purse and normally she would dispute it and try to pay him back but once she gets inside, she doesn't care. She's way more excited that she's willing to admit so instead of hanging around, she drags him over to the big tank with the tunnel running through the center of it. They take their time walking through, looking around at all the fish swimming.

"Look!" Beth says excitedly as she points out a manta ray swimming overhead. She grips Rio's arm and gently hits him over and over. "And there!"

She stares in awe at the whale shark that swims into view and once it's gone, she turns to Rio, grin in place but it falters. He's staring at her. His eyes are searching her face and he's chewing on his bottom lip, lost in thought. She becomes hyper aware of her hand gripping his arm and she immediately let's go.

"Would've suggested the aquarium sooner if I'd known how much you like it."  
Beth can feel the blush creeping up and she quickly looks away from him, focusing on the fish and another whale shark that swims by. "I don't get to come very often. And when I do, I often have four little people in tow."

"Yeah, I always come with Marcus."

When Beth looks back at him, he's finally looking up at the tank. His eyes are following a manta ray and his features are soft with wonder as he watches it. She can tell he's just as intrigued about the sea life swimming around as she is only he's more subtle about it. It's all in the way his mouth is a little slack and his head is tilted ever so slightly to one side and his eyes jump around quickly to follow the manta ray.

They walk through the rest of the tunnel in silence and drift through the aquarium stopping at each tank big and small. They don't say much but occasionally Beth will point out certain things and Rio will smile and nod his head along. She rarely looks at him because she can feel his eyes on her and it's already enough to make her blush. She does, however, steal glances at him when she's sure he isn't watching her and she makes sure to drink in every inch of his face to try and commit that look of relaxation and wonder to memory.

It's the comfortable silence that makes the whole thing so much easier. In all the time that Beth has known him, she's become accustomed to his ability to be relaxed in the most stressful of situations. He's always been surprisingly laid back but there's something so nice about being able to spend time with him and not have to worry about filling the silence with some kind of noise. He radiates this calming presence that quickly dampened the worry Beth had that he might think things were boring because they weren't saying much at all.

As they watch the jellyfish slowly move around their tank, Beth thinks that she could stay there forever with him. No business to deal with, no worries, just the two of them without a care in the world.

"Hey, do you mind if I walk on a little?" he asks, breaking their silence and for a moment it feels strange to hear his voice again. "There's something up ahead that I really wanna see but I don't want to rush you."

Curiosity spikes inside of her but she simply nods. "Sure. I shouldn't be too far behind you."

With a small smile, he touches her arm lightly before moving on. Beth watches him until he's out of sight before turning her attention back to the jellyfish. She pulls out her phone and records a video of one that's swimming on it's own. She has a few pictures and videos on her phone already and she's not entirely sure what she's going to do with them but she suspects that she'll flick through them when she gets home in order to pre-long their day together.

When she eventually moves on, she rounds the corner to find Rio sat on the floor cross-legged in front of a tank filled with tiny turtles. She watches him for a moment. He's got his phone out and he's recording them. It's only when she steps a little closer that she gets a look at his face and she pauses to really look him over before he can notice her presence.

It's real excitement she can see on his face. There's a big smile and his eyes are practically sparkling as he watches the little turtles move around. With his free hand he gently touches the glass just as a turtle swims right up to it and hovers nearby. Rio's smile only grows and Beth can feel her heart swell at the sight. She stays where she is for a few moments longer. She's not entirely sure if he'll hide his excitement and she wants to be able to enjoy it for a little longer.

"So, turtles," she says when she finally moves over to sit down beside him.

He stops the recording and pockets his phone. When he turns to look at her, he's still grinning and Beth can feel the butterflies explode inside of her at how genuinely happy he looks. He bumps his shoulder against hers playfully.

"Yeah, turtles," he says. "They're my favourite."

She briefly remembers seeing a turtle key chain on his keys when she broke into his apartment that one time but she figures it would be best not to bring that up right now. "I like dolphins," she says instead. "Sharks and whales are pretty cool too."

"Good to know," he says, looking back to the tank one last time. "I think we've seen everything so if you're ready we could check out the gift shop and maybe find somewhere nearby to eat?"

"I could eat," she agrees.

Rio just smiles as he stands up. He readjusts his shirt where it's lifted up a little before holding a hand out to help her up. Just as she stands, someone snaps a picture and both she and Rio turn.

"Sorry," the woman says. "I was trying to get the turtles. I'll delete it."

"Hang on a second," Rio says.

Beth watches him curiously as he goes up to the woman and talks to her quietly. He looks at her phone and points a few things out. He then pulls out his phone and taps away at it. By the time they're done, he's smiling and nodding a little, before he comes back over. He gently takes Beth's hand and tugs her away so the woman can finally get her pictures of the turtles.

It's only when they're outside the gift shop that he pauses and pulls out his phone. He scrolls through it for a second before showing it to her and Beth is presented with the picture the woman had taken. She must have snapped it at the right moment because there's minimal motion blur.

Due to the angle, it's mostly Beth in shot. Rio just about makes it into frame along the right side. Her hand is still in his and while her head is down a little, his eyes are on her. The photo is zoomed in enough that the water is the background and Beth can spot a few of the tiny turtles. She can't help but smile as her eyes move from her face to his face before finally settling on their hands.

"You asked her to send it to you?"

He shrugs. "Figured it was a waste if she deleted it."

"It's a pretty nice picture for an accident."

"I thought so too."

He pockets his phone and without any word or warning, he takes a hold of her hand pulls her into the gift shop. They wander around aimlessly and Beth is thankful because it gives her time to mull over the fact that there is a picture of the two of them and Rio has it on his phone. She had never bothered to attempt to get photos of them, figuring he would probably say no, but now a photo existed and he had purposely sought it out.

Eventually they stop at the section of the gift shop for the dolphins, whales, and sharks. Rio's eyes scan each shelf carefully and she knows when something has caught his eye because he smiles and that slowly turns into a knowing smirk.

"Go look over there," he says, motioning towards the opposite side of the room. Beth eyes him suspiciously and he rolls his eyes. " _Please_."

She smiles. "Seen as you asked so nicely."

This time when he rolls his eyes, he's smiling too. Beth turns happily on her feet and drifts towards the other side of the room. Part of her is pretty confident that he's going to buy her something, especially after he took note of the fact that she likes dolphins, sharks, and whales but she also wills herself to not get too attached to the idea. Sure she had seen a more carefree side of him but that didn't automatically mean they were in the realm of buying each other pointless things from aquarium gift shops.

Still, when she sees the wall of turtle gifts, Beth can't help but take a look. In the end she picks up three small canvas paintings, all no bigger than the size of her hand. One is a close up of a turtles face (facing forward) with a dark blue background, the second is a side view of two turtles (one slightly above the other) with a blue to sea green gradient background, and the last one is a cluster of five turtles with a sea green background. She figures they're small enough that they won't take up too much space and he can always put them in the Marcus' room if he decides he doesn't like them for himself.

By the time she gets to the checkout, he's just paid and looks her over as she approaches. "What you got there, sweetheart?"

"None of your business," she says, hiding them behind her back. "Go away, please."

Rio eyes her suspiciously but does turn away and heads towards the exit to wait outside. When Beth approaches the till, the cashier - Erin - is smiling.

She motions to each canvas. "Would you like me to gift wrap those?"

"No, thanks," Beth says, smiling knowingly. "I'm sure curiosity will get the better of him and he'll want to open them outside."

Erin laughs as she finishes scanning them and putting them into a paper bag. "Well, I don't think you can go wrong with art."

"I agree. He already has a key chain," Beth supplies. "And I don't think he's a soft toy kind of guy."

"I'm sure if it's from you, he would love it."

Beth's not entirely sure if she believes that but the thought is enough to make her smile and she's willing to live in that bubble at least for the time it'll take for her to get outside and for Rio to open his gift.

After she pays, she thanks Erin and tells her to just keep the change before she heads outside to find Rio sitting on a bench not too far away. He looks up as she approaches and smiles when she sits down beside him. Without a word, she hands him the bag.

"For me?" he asks, hand on his chest and a playful look on his face.

"I can always return it," she says, reaching for the bag.

Rio frowns and pulls the bag out of reach. "No chance."

Beth settles back on the bench while Rio puts the bag in his lap and opens it up. He gently pulls out each canvas and examines them one at a time. His fingers run over each one and he takes a surprisingly long time looking at them. When he's done with each one, he puts it back into the bag carefully. When he's on the last one, he turns to look at her. He holds up the canvas with the cluster of turtles.

"I think this one is my favourite."

"I thought the colours of each canvas went together quite nicely."

He nods his agreement as he puts the final one back into the bag. "I think I got a spot for them on my shelves."

Beth can't help but grin at the idea that he's considering where to hang the paintings when he got back home. She didn't have much time to dwell on it though before he deposited a paper bag into her lap. When she glances his way, he simply looks straight ahead.

As she opens the bag, she finds a small jewellery box inside. She opens it up to reveal a necklace. The chain is thin, delicate looking, and at the very end is a small dolphin charm. It's all silver and the pendant itself is the general shape of a dolphin with no other detail. A small bit of chain hangs from the dolphin's flipper with a small, blue stone at the end of it.

"I know you're always wearing some kind of necklace," Rio says as she runs her finger over it carefully.

"Will you help me put it on?"

He holds his hand out and she places the box into it. While he takes the necklace out, Beth unclasps the one she's already got on. She turns a little on the bench, already pulling her hair up and out of the way so he can better access. Her eyes fall down to the dolphin charm as he does it up. Once he's secured it, he presses a kiss to the area of exposed skin at the base of her neck.

Beth shivers a little as she lets her hair fall back into place and turns to face him. He's leaning back against the bench now, his arm along the back of it. His fingers come up to grip a strand of her hair and he gently curls it around his finger. She reaches for the box the put her old necklace away and it takes her a lot longer than it should because it's impossible not to get wrapped up in the way he plays with her hair and watches her absentminedly.

"I love it," she says when the box is back in the paper bag. "Thank you."

His eyes fall onto the charm for a brief moment. "Looks good."

Maybe it's just about being swept in the moment or maybe it's the desire to prolong the day as much as possible but Beth doesn't give herself time to over think it before she leans in. She's got on hand on the bench between them to give herself some balance as she presses her lips gently against his own. She catches the surprised look on his face before her eyes drift shut.

Rio shifts a little on the bench so he can move closer to her. His hand is still tangled in the tips of her hair as he kisses her back. His lips are soft and he tastes faintly of coffee with an underline of something sweet. As she pulls back, he chases her so he can kiss her one more time before he too settles back onto the bench, a happy looks on his face.

"So... Food?"

He puts his head back and laughs, Beth's stomach doing flips at the sound. "Yeah, mama. Wherever you want. We've got all day."

* * *

It's late by the time Beth gets home. After getting food they had gone for a walk in the local park, stopping for a bit to sit at a bench. They had laughed a little about how strange it was to be there without their kids which turned into them calling said kids to check in on them. Before they left the park, Rio had not so subtly snapped a picture of her and Beth had made a mental note to bring it up at a later point.

The park eventually led to them getting more food - dinner with some dessert - and then they had stuck around to get a couple of drinks. Beth kept expecting him to get a phone call or have some kind of reason to leave but he never did, in fact it was her that had to suggest they call it a night and head home.

She had considered inviting him inside but she wanted to keep the events of the day in their perfect little bubble. It felt like pushing her luck to think that things could keep going that well all night.

It's when she's climbing into bed that her phone buzzes a few times. She rolls onto her side and unlocks her phone to find several unread texts from Rio. The first is the picture the woman accidentally took of them (Beth immediately saves it), the second message is a picture of one of his bookshelves and she spots all three canvases sitting on one of the shelves between a picture of him and Marcus and a pile of books (she doesn't save that one but she does look it over several times), the third message is the picture he snapped of her in the park. It's a side profile and there's a nice glow behind her. (She doesn't save that one either but she hopes he keeps it on his phone). For the final message he's actually typed something.

 **Rio:** thoughts on home-made pizza?

 **Beth:** Better than store bought.

 **Rio:** How long has Dean got the kids for?

 **Beth:** He'll drop them at school on Monday. I'll get them from there.

 **Rio:** Good. My place. Tomorrow at 6pm.

 **Rio:** Feel free to use the door this time.

 **Beth:** You're a real comedian.

 **Rio:** I try.

She can't bring herself to respond. Her eyes are already drifting shut and she can't stop her phone from falling onto the pillow beside her. The last thing Beth thinks about as her eyes finally do close is the look of pure excitement and happiness on Rio's face as he watched the turtles swim around their tank.


End file.
